Faller bars for textile combing machines or other comb-like members



March 3, 1970 M. K. MANN UAL FALLER BARS FOR TEXTILE COMBING MACHINES OR OTHER COME-LIKE MEMBERS Filed Sept. 6. 1967 United States Patent Office 3,497,921 Registered Mar. 3, 1970 U.S. Cl. 19-129 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a textile combing machine, of the type which employs faller bars made of synthetic resin material, the bars are adapted to prevent build-up of static electricity in the fibres. For this purpose, a metal conductor (which may include a reinforcing member) extends between the pins and a position where it contacts part of the machine.

A faller bar for a textile combing machine, for example a gill box, comprises a metal lbar having its end portions adapted for engagement with traversing mechanism, the intermediate portion of the metal faller bar having a series of pins projecting, in comb-like fashion, from one edge of the bar, for operating on fibres to be combed. The conventional method of securing the pins to a faller bar comprises forming a series of holes in one edge of the metal faller bar and securing a pin in each hole. It has also been proposed to provide a pin strip unit comprising a strip of synthetic resin in which the butt ends of a series of pins are embedded, the pin lstrip unit being adapted to be secured in a longitudinally disposed groove in the faller bar.

It has also been proposed to make the body of a faller bar, or other comb-like member, of synthetic resin, with a metal reinforcing member embedded in the said body. It has been found that when such a faller bar or the like is in use with lsome fibres, particularly synthetic fibres, there is a tendency for the fibres to receive a charge of static electricity, probably due to the frictional engagement of the pins with the libres and the sliding of the fibres relatively to each other, and as the synthetic resin body serves as an insulator, this prevents the discharge of static electricity from the fibres.

The present invention is designed to provide means for discharging static electricity from the fibres, in a textile combing machine employing a faller bar or other comblike member having a synthetic resin body.

According to the invention, in a faller bar or other comb-like member having a body of synthetic resin or plastics, a metal conductor in contact With the pins extends to and is exposed at a part of the body surface that makes contact with a metal part of the machine with which the faller bar or the like is used. For example, a metal reinforcing member embedded in the body may be so shaped that it has a portion which breaks into the surface of the body which engages with the feed screw of a gill box.

Alternatively the metal reinforcing member may be formed so that it has a portion that breaks into the surface of the body that engages with the conductor that transports the faller bars for their return traverse after they have completed an operational traverse along the feed screw.

In a further alternative arrangement, a metal conductor strip, e.g. a thin copper strip may have one end connected to the metal reinforcing member, the conductor strip being so disposed in a mould during a moulding operation in which the body is formed, that the strip extends to the outer surface of the body for contact either with the feed screw, or the conductor member referred to above, or with any other convenient part of the machine. If desired, the machine may be provided with an electric contact member for engagement with either a conductor strip 0n the faller bar body or with a portion of the metal reinforcing member where the latter is exposed on the outer surface of the faller bar or the like. Conveniently, the machine may have a series of springs, e.g. leaf springs, disposed in the path of the faller bars for contact with an exposed part of the metal reinforcing member or a conductor strip connected thereto or for Contact with the end pins or pins of the faller bar, the springs being in electrical contact with the machine frame.

A faller bar incorporating the invention, together with modifications, will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a faller bar,

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section on the line II-II of FIGURE 1,

FIGURES 3 to l0 inclusive are views similar to FIG- URE 1, but in diagrammatic form, illustrating eight alternative arrangements,

FIGURE l1 is a similar side elevation partly broken away and sectioned to show another embodiment wherein metal particles are embedded in the resin body.

Referring to the drawings, the faller bar of FIGURES l and 2 comprises a body 10 of a synthetic resinous material, which is moulded around the butt ends of a series of pins 11. A metal reinforcing member 12 is embedded in the body 10, the member 12, in this example being U- shaped in cross-section as will be seen in FIGURE 2. The ends of the member :12 are flattened where they project into the end portions of the body 10, and they are so disposed in the body 10 that the said end portions of the member 12 break into the surface of the body 10` where the end portions of the body 10 are of reduced thickness to form the usual conductor slots 13. The exposed end portions of the member 12 will therefore make contact with the conductor that transports the faller bar on its return traverse, so that static electricity will be discharged through such contact.

In the arrangement shown in FIGURE 3, the end portions of the metal reinforcing member 14, which otherwise is similar to the member v12 of FIGURE 1, are extended to break into the end surfaces of the body 10 for contact with the feed screw of a gill box.

In FIGURE 4, the end portions of the metal reinforcing member 15, which is otherwise similar to the member 12 of FIGURE l, are bent downwardly so as to break into the bottom surface of the body 10 for contact with the saddle of a gill box.

In FIGURE 5, a metal peg 17 is embedded in the body 10 and is in contact with the metal reinforcing member 12, the peg breaking into the top and bottom surfaces of the body 10 for Contact with a gill box saddle.

In FIGURE 6, three short lengths of thin metal wire 18., |19 and 20 are shown embedded in the body 10, although in practice only one such piece of wire may be used.

The piece of Wire 181, 19 or 20, will 'have one end in contact with the metal reinforcing member 12, the other end of the wire being at the surface of the body 10 for contact with the saddle or the feed screw, as the case may be.

A metal stud maybe embedded in the body 10 for the same purpose, as s'hown in FIGURE 7. The stud 21 isin contact with the metal reinforcing member 12fand has a head breaking into a surface of the body for making contact with a gill box saddle.

In FIGURE 8 a metal peg 23 embedded in the body 10, has one end in contact with one end of the metal reinforcing member i12, the other end of the peg breaking into the end surface of the body for Contact with a feed screw.

In FIGURE 9, a metal strip or wire 24 in the top surface of the body10 is in contact with at least-the end pin of the series of pins 11, the metal strip or Wire 24 extending to the end of the body 10 so that it will make contact with either the feed screw or the saddle of a gill box. In FIGURE 10, Which is similar to FIGURE 9, the metal strip or wire in the top surface of the body 10 extends over the entire length of the body 10 so as to be in contact with all the pins |11, the end portions of the metal strip or wire being exposed for contact with either the feed screw or the saddle of a gill box.

In a further alternative arrangement shown in FIG- UR'E` 11, for the discharge of static electricity from a faller bar, metal in divided form, for example metal lings or metal finely divided as dust, is incorporated in the synthetic resinous material from Whichthe body of the faller bar is moulded. A faller bar body incorporating divided metal in this manner, will discharge static electricity from any part of the body that makes contact with a metallic part of the machine in which the faller bar is used.

We claim:

1, A faller bar or the like comprising an elongated body of synthetic resin or equivalent electrically insulating plastic having a comb-like series of pins with ends embedded in said body and projecting from -said body, said body having integral end portions beyond the pins and said end portions having surfaces that are adapted to be contacted in normal operationby a metal part of a machine wherein the faller bar or the like is used, and i provide for discharge of static electricty from said pins -4 when said exposed conductor means contacts a metal part of the machine.

2. In the faller bar or the like dened in claim 1, said` electrical conductor means comprising a metal reenforcing member embedded in said body in Contact With the embedded pin ends and a conducting element extending from saidl member to an exposed terminal on said one end portion.

3. In the faller bar or the like dened in claim 2, said element comprising an integral extension of said reenforcing member. l

4. In the faller bar or the like defined in claim 2, said element comprising an embedded wire extending from said reenforcing member to said exposed area.

5. In the faller bar or the like dened in claim 2, said element comprising an embedded metal peg extending from said reenforcing member to the surface of said one end portion.

6. In the faller bar or the like defined in claim 1, each of said body end portions being formed with conductor slots and said electrical conductor means comprising a metal reenforcing member embedded in said body in contact with said pins and exposed on the surface Within at least one of said slots.

7. In the faller bar or the like defined in claim 1, said conductor means comprising a metal strip extending along a surface of said body in contact with at least one pin at a faller bar end and terminating on said one end portion of the body.

8. In the faller bar or the like defined in claim 1, Said electrical conductor means comprises metal or like electrically conductive particles distributed through said body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 560,696 5/1896 Dugan 19-129 610,774 9/1898 Smith et al. 19-129 FOREIGN PATENTS 736,163 9/ 1955 Great Britain.

DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner 

